Biography:Hans Dijkstal

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Short description: Dutch liberal politician
Hans Dijkstal
Hans Dijkstal 1985 (1).jpg
Hans Dijkstal in 1985
Parliamentary leader in the
House of Representatives
In office
30 July 1998 – 23 May 2002
Preceded byFrits Bolkestein
Succeeded byGerrit Zalm
Parliamentary groupPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Leader of the People's Party
for Freedom and Democracy
In office
30 July 1998 – 16 May 2002
Deputy
Preceded byFrits Bolkestein
Succeeded byGerrit Zalm
Deputy Prime Minister
In office
22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998
Serving with Hans van Mierlo
Prime MinisterWim Kok
Preceded byWim Kok
Succeeded byEls Borst
Annemarie Jorritsma
Minister of the Interior
In office
22 August 1994 – 3 August 1998
Prime MinisterWim Kok
Preceded byDieuwke de Graaff-Nauta
Succeeded byBram Peper
as Minister of the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
Member of the House of Representatives
In office
19 May 1998 – 1 September 2002
In office
30 July 1986 – 22 August 1994
In office
11 November 1982 – 3 June 1986
Parliamentary groupPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy
Personal details
Born
Henri Frans Dijkstal

(1943-02-28)28 February 1943
Port Said, Egypt
Died9 May 2010(2010-05-09) (aged 67)
Wassenaar, Netherlands
Cause of deathBone cancer
NationalityDutch
Political partyPeople's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

(from 1966)
Spouse(s)
Anneke Dijkstal
(m. 1966; his death 2010)
Children2 daughters and 1 son
Alma materUniversity of Amsterdam
(Bachelor of Law)
OccupationPolitician · Financial adviser · Management consultant · Corporate director · Nonprofit director · Teacher · Critic · Political pundit · Lobbyist · Activist
Military service
Allegiance Netherlands
Branch/serviceRoyal Netherlands Air Force
Years of service1965–1967 (Conscription)
1967–1973 (Reserve)
RankNetherlands-AirForce-OF-1b.svg Lieutenant
UnitAir Operations Control
Station Nieuw-Milligen
Battles/warsCold War

Henri Frans "Hans" Dijkstal (28 February 1943 – 9 May 2010) was a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) and financial adviser.[1]

Early life, education, military service and early career

Dijkstal was born in Port Said, Egypt, where his father and grandfather worked in shipping. He was able to speak fluent Arabic before moving to the Netherlands at age five. Dijkstal applied at the University of Amsterdam in March 1961 majoring in Law and obtaining an Bachelor of Laws degree in June 1964. Dijkstal was conscripted in the Royal Netherlands Air Force serving as a Lieutenant and was stationed at the Air Operations Control Station Nieuw-Milligen as an air traffic controller from April 1965 until May 1967. Dijkstal worked as a financial adviser, management consultant and civics teacher in Wassenaar from August 1967 until November 1982. Dijkstal served on the Municipal Council of Wassenaar from May 1974 until April 1986 and served as an alderman in Wassenaar from March 1978 until July 1983.

National politics

Dijkstal became a Member of the House of Representatives after Wim van Eekelen was appointed as State Secretary for Foreign Affairs in the Cabinet Lubbers I after the election of 1982, serving from 11 November 1982 until 3 June 1986. Dijkstal returned as a Member of the House of Representatives after Ed Nijpels was appointed as Minister of Housing, Spatial Planning and the Environment in the Cabinet Lubbers II after the election of 1986, taking office on 30 July 1986 serving as a frontbencher chairing the parliamentary committee for Petitions and the Citizen Initiatives and spokesperson for Minorities and Welfare. After the election of 1994 Dijkstal was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior in the Cabinet Kok I, taking office on 22 August 1994. After the election of 1998 Dijkstal returned as a Member of the House of Representatives, taking office on 19 May 1998.

Following the cabinet formation of 1998 Dijkstal per his own request asked not to be considered for a cabinet post in the new cabinet, he was seen by the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leadership as the favorite son to succeed Frits Bolkenstein as the next Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy. In July 1998 the Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Parliamentary leader of the Party for Freedom and Democracy in the House of Representatives Bolkenstein announced he was stepping down as Leader and Parliamentary leader in the House of Representatives, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy leadership approached Dijkstal as his successor, Dijkstal accepted and became the Leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy and Parliamentary leader, taking office on 30 July 1998.

For the election of 2002 Dijkstal served as Lijsttrekker (top candidate). Dijkstal and Labour Leader Ad Melkert were the front runners to become the next Prime Minister, but the unexpected arrival of Pim Fortuyn of Livable Netherlands (LN) and later the Pim Fortuyn List (LPF), turned the polls. Fortuyn blamed the problems in the country on the Purple cabinets (in which both Dijkstal and Melkert served as ministers). Fortuyn depicted Dijkstal and Melkert as two bureaucrats who didn't understand the feelings and problems among the population. After a heated campaign a mere days before the election, Fortuyn was assassinated in Hilversum. The VVD suffered a big loss, losing 14 seats and now had 24 seats in the House of Representatives. Dijkstal accepted responsibility for the defeat. On May 16, 2002, he announced his resignation as leader. He continued to serve in the House of Representatives as a backbencher until his resignation on 1 September 2002.

When his former party started taking a heavy stance on 'allochtonen' (immigrants and their children) he teamed up with former politicians from a wide range of other parties in protest, to strive for a more tolerant society, under the name "Een Land Een Samenleving" ('One Country One Society').[2][3]

Post-politics

Dijkstal retired from national politics and became active in the private sector and public sector and occupied numerous seats as a corporate director and nonprofit director on several boards of directors and supervisory boards (Institute for Multiparty Democracy, International Institute of Social History, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Public Pension Funds APB and the Anne Frank Foundation) and served on several state commissions and councils on behalf of the government (Council for Public Administration, Cadastre Agency and the Netherlands Film Fund) and as an advocate, lobbyist and activist for social justice and democracy.

Reputation

Dijkstal was known for his abilities as a consensus builder and manager.[citation needed]

Personal life

On 29 July 1966 he married Anneke Dijkstal and became the father of two daughters.[4]

He was a fan and admirer of Star Trek.[5]

Death

Dijkstal continued to comment on political affairs until his death from bone cancer at the age of 67.[6]

Decorations

Honours
Ribbon bar Honour Country Date Comment
Order of Orange-Nassau ribbon - Officer.svg Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau Netherlands 30 October 1998

References

  1. (in Dutch) VVD'er Hans Dijkstal (67) overleden, NOS, 10 May 2010
  2. (in Dutch) VVD trekt ten strijde tegen Fortuyn, Volkskrant, 18 March 2002
  3. (in Dutch) Het vrolijke, beminnelijke oliemannetje van Paars , NRC Handelsblad, 11 May 2002
  4. (in Dutch) Hans Dijkstal, Nova TV, 25 March 2004
  5. (in Dutch) Gesprek over de nieuwe Startrek-film , NOS, 4 May 2009
  6. (in Dutch) Hans Dijkstal (67) overleden, Volkskrant, 10 May 2010

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by
Loek Hermans
Deputy Leader of the People's Party
for Freedom and Democracy

1990–1998
Succeeded by
Benk Korthals
Preceded by
Frits Bolkestein
Leader of the People's Party
for Freedom and Democracy

1998–2002
Succeeded by
Gerrit Zalm
Parliamentary leader of the
People's Party for Freedom and Democracy
in the House of Representatives

1998–2002
Preceded by
Frits Bolkestein
1998
Lijsttrekker of the
People's Party for
Freedom and Democracy

2002
Succeeded by
Gerrit Zalm
2003
Political offices
Preceded by
Wim Kok
Deputy Prime Minister
1994–1998
Served alongside: Hans van Mierlo
Succeeded by
Annemarie Jorritsma
Succeeded by
Els Borst
Preceded by
Dieuwke de Graaff-Nauta
Minister of the Interior
1994–1998
Succeeded by
Bram Peper
as Minister of the Interior
and Kingdom Relations
Non-profit organization positions
Preceded by
Unknown
Chairman of the
Netherlands Film Fund

2003–2007
Succeeded by
Unknown
Preceded by
Unknown
Chairman of the
Naturalis Biodiversity Center

2004–2010
Succeeded by
Elco Brinkman